On Friday, Jan. 30, Niles North High School staff members participated in a national action to combat Donald Trump’s administration’s Immigration Custom Enforcement (ICE) by holding a walk-in.

English teacher Ashley Amelianovich explained that the strike was organized by the local teacher’s union and that the staff learned about it a day before the strike was going to be held.

“Our intention was to stand in solidarity with the folks in Minnesota, especially in Minneapolis,” Amelianovich said. “But also with people everywhere that had been impacted by ICE’s activities and the national government’s activities.”

She added that Jackie Ehrlich, a union representative, spoke to the group before they entered the building. 

“Ms. Ehrlich spoke and said some words of solidarity with our union brothers and sisters in Minnesota,” Amelianovich said. “And then we walked into the school together as a unified group. “

The event was part of a larger action where protesters across the United States participated in a nationwide strike calling for, “no work, no school, no shopping” to oppose ICE. The strike was formally organized through the National Shutdown website as well as union networks, social media, and  community groups who called for action against ICE operations and federal policy. 

The strike grew out of the widespread outrage of fatal shootings by ICE officers, including the recent deaths of Alex Pretti and Renée Good in Minneapolis. Across the country, businesses and schools showed solidarity by closing or pausing operations.  

Organizers of the strike encouraged communities to shut down daily routines to draw attention to ICE’s impacts.  The Associated Press reports that one of the many websites promoting the shutdown reported, “The people of the Twin Cities have shown the way for the whole country—to stop ICE’s reign of terror, we need to SHUT IT DOWN.”

The strike reflected how communities participated in the national strike to acknowledge concerns surrounding ICE and federal immigration policies imposed.